Kenya Halts Construction of Controversial Ebola Facility

The Kenyan government has halted the construction of a US-backed Ebola quarantine facility. This decision comes after the court ruled that Health Minister Aden Duale was in contempt of court for not adhering to a previous order to stop the project. Health Minister Aden Duale stated that he had instructed the immediate cessation of all construction and related activities until the legal process is concluded. The project involved building a 50-bed quarantine and isolation center at the Laikipia Air Base, approximately 200 kilometers north of Nairobi. The facility was intended to house US citizens who may have been exposed to the virus during Ebola response efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries in the region. The Kenyan High Court had ordered the cessation of construction work on May 28 until the case is resolved. However, the court found that work continued despite the order, ruling that Health Minister Aden Duale had defied the court's decision.